This article explores the implementation of special collections interlibrary loan policies and procedures at the University of South Florida (USF), focusing particularly on the development of policies related to physically loaning published materials, and traces the development of these policies through a pilot project to routinized…

There has been longstanding debate about whether the level of complexity of questions received at reference desks and via online chat services requires a librarian's expertise. Continued decreases in the number and complexity of reference questions have all but ended the debate; many academic libraries no longer staff service points with…

Librarians seek opportunities to improve outreach to faculty and promote shared interests in information literacy. A comprehensive review of syllabi for all undergraduate courses offered during one academic term examined course-level learning outcomes and graded assignments to see how well they aligned with the five Association of College and…

The work of collection development in academic video game collections is at a crucial point of transformation--gaming librarians are ready to expand beyond console games collected in disc and cartridge format to the world of Internet games. At the same time, forms and genres of video games such as serious and independent games are increasingly…

Science and engineering libraries have an important role to play in preserving the intellectual content in research areas of the departments they serve. This study employs bibliographic data from the Web of Science database to examine how much research material is required to cover 90% of faculty citations in civil engineering and computer…

This paper is a review of literature that explores how community college and junior college students use libraries and seek information. A key issue that is discussed among scholars, researchers, and librarians in general is the implosion of the Internet and how libraries have shifted focus from using print resources to online databases and…

Research on multiculturalism in libraries focuses primarily on collection development and on the recruitment of minorities to the profession. Although multicultural student outreach is relatively uncommon, it is essential in helping to combat the social, education, technological and financial barriers that leave many minority students at a…

This bibliographic review of the literature on American and Canadian university undergraduate libraries was adapted from a PhD dissertation completed at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1982. Included are books, dissertations, and journal articles which treat the undergraduate library as a whole, rather than looking at only one aspect…

Reports on a national survey of 400 2-year colleges concerning the current status of online activities. Details responses from 207 institutions regarding the provision of online services, vendors used, primary users, costs per search, sources of funding, and search topics. Compares findings with other recent studies. (DMM)

Describes a survey that was conducted at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville library to count and categorize the types of questions coming into the reference department from telephone calls. Informational and directional calls are examined, implications for staffing are considered, and queuing theory is applied. (seven references) (LRW)

Analysis of one component of library reference service--online numeric database systems for time-series data--reviews tradition of reference service and ways in which computer technology has enhanced provision of library services. Experiences with Kentucky Economic Information System (KEIS) are described. Examples of KEIS and 30 references are…

Explores issues surrounding efforts to introduce online catalogs to users and presents relevant research results from Northwestern University's "Educating the Online Catalog User" project. Highlights include attitudes and preconceptions about online catalogs and instruction, research on online catalog use, suggestions for online catalog teaching,…

Discusses how to improve library reference service, especially the effective delivery of accurate answers, based on a program at Wichita State University (Kansas) that used concepts of quality from business and organizational management. Topics addressed include customers and customer service, and methods of reference service evaluation. (Contains…

Since funding levels will probably not change much, college libraries will need to shift emphasis from seeking more funding for current and new services to delivering more and better service for less, becoming leaner and more able to deliver adaptable services. Increased budget flexibility will be essential. (MSE)

Reviews literature focusing on the involvement of community college libraries in literacy programs. Examines West Hills Community College's developmental/remedial program, highlighting the gains in reading skills of students participating in the library-based program. (DMM)